there shall I learne how to liue how to die for my Creator while she how to loue how to dye her colour different from what was giuen her by her Maker Hee that seeks to preuent that which cannot be auoyded flies into Adams groue to sconce himselfe from Gods iudgment I finde this approued when I labour to be exempted from the stroke of Death which can by no meanes be preuented whose doome as it is certaine so is his date vncertaine knocke he will but at what time I know not I will therefore so set all things in order before he come that he may finde me prouided when he comes I would be loth to be taken napping I will therefore so addresse my selfe euery houre that I may cheerfully embrace death in my last houre receiuing him not with feare as a guest that will be of necessitie harboured but with a friendly wellcome as one by whom I shall be to a secure harbour conducted Death as he is importunate so is he iminent fearefull to the rich but cheerefull to the poore for affliction breeds a loathing in liuing an accomplished content in dying knowing that there is an end of miserie apportioned by Death which was not granted to man during life I wish so to liue that my life may be an argument that I did liue sith life without employment the essence of mans life hath more affinitie with death than life As my God is Alpha and Omega being my Alpha begun in the kingdome of grace so he will be my Omega accomplished in the kingdom of glory the last day of my liuing the first day of my raigning the houre of my bodies discention into earth the houre of my soules ascention into heauen FINIS The heauenly Exercise of the fiue Sences couched in a diuine Poem LEt eye eare touch tast smell let euery Sence Employ it selfe to praise his prouidence Who gaue an eye to see but why was 't giuen To guide our feet on earth our soules to heauen An Eare to heare but what not iests o' th' time Vaine or prophane but melodie diuine A touch to feele but what griefes of our brother And t' haue a fellow feeling one of other A tast to relish what mans soueraigne blisse Come taste and see the Lord how sweet he is A smell to breath and what flowers that afford All choice content the odours of his word If our fiue Sences thus employed be We may our Sauiour smell tast touch heare see Vpon his Resolues MAy I resolue so my resolues expresse That th' world may see I am what I profess May Earth be my least care my heart on him Whose crosse's my crowne whose Sonne did salue my sin THE AVTHORS OPINION OF MARRIAGE Deliuered in a satisfying Character to his friend SIR as I am no Timon so am I no marriage-affecting Libertine I will labour therefore to satisfie your demands exactly making experience my directresse whose late familiaritie hath instructed me in this positiue Doctrine As it repenteth me not to know it now so it litle repenteth me not to haue knowne it before now for as the present estate adds to my content so my former want perhaps kept me from discontent I perceiue no such thing as bondage in marriage onely a restraint from Batchler-sensualitie which merits not the name of seruitude but libertie Vpon consideration had of two estates I account mariage concurring neerer with perfection and I ground my opinion vpon no worse probabilitie than the Arithmeticians maxime Numbers haue their beginning but not perfection from vnities yet exclude I not these two indiuidually vnited from that incomparable effect of marriage vnitie Content I finde more accomplished where mindes are consorting for singlenesse includes rather the condition of an Anchorite than of one affecting societie This better for procreation That for contemplation There is no felicitie if earth may be said to enioy it like a fellow-helper no fellow-helper equall to a faithfull bosom-friend I am neither for committing secrets nor concealing them till I finde an aptnesse to conceale or faith to reserue I finde Mysogenes opinion grosse and erroneous touching the secrecie of a woman a faithfull wife cannot chuse but be a good Secretarie Shee makes her husbands reputation her principall subiect and chuseth rather to dye than it should dye Her acquaintance is not popular nor craues shee rather to be seene what she weares than to be knowne what shee is Vertue is her best habit and her garnish is beholden more to Nature than Art shee affects no colours doing well without pretence of glory affecting what is good without desire of applause I haue bin in a strange error and it much repents me of it where imagination suggested to me wedlocke could not be without some aspersion of lust for I perceiue the sanctitie and puritie of the rite adds more to content than the outward delight it relisheth more of the Spirit than the flesh he that feeles an other effect in marriage he is more brutish than reasonable The best purchase is a good wife and the worst is her contrary I haue commended Arminius opinion and haue long embraced it whose conceit was so much remoued from the affection of marriage as he censured him dead to earths-comforts that tooke himselfe to any other bed-fellow than his owne minde to converse with but I exclaime now vpon that heresie I finde my minde strengthned by conference and that proceeds with best grace and consonance from a faithfull mate I will not trust her with my bodie whom I dare not make partner of my minde and though the excellencie of the one surpasse the frailtie of the other yet will I not commend the one where I dare not commit the other For frailtie of Sexes I conceiue how apt man is to iudge sinisterly of the weaker vessell and I impute it either to a want of Braines in that they cannot diue into the excellencie of so pure and exquisite a composition or some hard hap they haue had in making choice of such infirme creatures I haue found one though weake by condition yet firme in her affection making her resolues so vndoubtedly approued by him she loues as she hath vowed to engrosse her loue to none saue him she onely loues her content is so setled as she scornes to haue it diuided for she knowes that a heart diuided cānot liue She professeth her selfe to be not where shee liues but where she loues and the Adamant which drawes her to affection is the perswaded ground she intertaines of her husbands disposition which is too choice to be popular and too relenting not to be wonne as meere protestations were not of force to winne her so flatterie was too palpable a suter to woe her Content is worth a kingdome and my kingdome is my owne familie where I make euery day my account casting vp in the euening what I did in the day I thinke my day well bestowed if employed in the seruice of
gaue me motion to serue him I haue sometimes wished an end of my miserie lest miserie should cause my end but I found how foolish I was to wish for an end of that which can no way possible haue an end before my end for miserie is an inseparable companion to man so long as he is man for ceasing to be miserable he becommeth an Angell and no man He that falls from diuine contemplation to take content in the world is as he that after he hath bin fed with meat of Angels falls afterward to delight in Swines meat sensuall desires shall not captiuate my reason to the soueraigntie of Sence I resolue so to liue that dying I may liue for this life as it is a death so death to the good is an aduantage of life True it is which Democritus saith Truth lyeth hid in certaine deepe mines or caues yet being daughter to time she will be at last discouered after she hath bin so long depressed neuer neuer Truth loues to be retired from the world because shee sees that her fauourites be few in the world and rather will she liue a stale virgin than bestow herselfe of such as will but make a stale of her Mans life is a globe of examples a shadow of imitation where the latter day is euer scholer to the former I wish no further knowledge than to be a perfect scholer in Christ-crosse row for there as in a mirrour shall I behold Gods mercie mans miserie his miserie in falling Gods mercy in raising matter of thanksgiuing in man to God argument of affection in God to man Long is it since I purposed my conversion but yet a litle and then a litle makes to morrow as far from conversion as was yesterday I collect hence how powerfullst Resolues produce oft-times the poorest effects henceforth therefore I intend not to put off till to morrow by idling to day lest I neuer liue to repent on to morrow being call'd on to day I haue run a great part of my race am out-stripped by all in the course of vertue what remaines but that I should now strip my selfe of this heauy garment with which I am ouer-loaded that I may put on the heauenly garment with which those happy runners the Saints are adorned He that failes in his course cannot obtaine the goale and soone brethlesse am I vnlesse the Lord infuse his diuine breath in me I will therefore run and pray run that I may obteine pray that I cease not to run till I obteyne I haue found how soone affliction alters the countenance of adulterate friendship I haue a litle taste of it and experience bids me make this vse of it Though one Swallow make no summer yet one mans summer makes many Swallowes I will seeke therfore to gaine friends after time since most of these worldly friends are but obseruers of time Pittie it is I heare some say such a braue spirit should want but what a wittall was he that through his owne follie should enforce his own want with others pittie Enuie is better than pitty in estate not in honour for the decrease of honor as she is enuied before her fall yeelds argument of pitty so is shee oft-times restored by being generally pittied where estate as she was an obiect of enuie so piteously complayning shee remaines the same poore without altering I will not like another Herodicus doe nothing all my life long but intend my health for why should I bestow more care on the case than on the instrument within the case on the bodie than the soule No I will reserue that moderate care for the health of my bodie that like a good instrument it may euer yeeld cheerfull musick to the eare of my soule so shall my soule by the ministerie of my bodie conforme her-selfe in obedience to him that made the soule to enlighten the bodie It is strange to know what an impression of loue absence breeds in the Louer I wish the like effect in the absence of my soule from her Creator she is here diuided by the vaile of her flesh may shee be more firmely vnited to him in spirit she is here a prisoner may her desires pierce through these walls of earth and expresse their feruencie to the God of heauen shee is here a pilgrim may her skrip be humilitie her weede sanctitie her staffe charitie and her foode the nourishing milke of the word shee is an exile may shee hasten to her natiue country cherefully leauing this vale of misery shee is an Orphan may she addresse her-selfe thither where raignes the Widdowes iudge and Orphans father Abide here ô my soule let this be thy retreit cheere thy spirit ô my soule with this eternall receit he it is that from perills past hath preserued thee in perills present hath armed thee against perills to come hath fore-warned thee He it is invites thee fore-slowing expects thee opposing recalls thee straying and embraces thee returning He it is that protects thee resting assists thee labouring exhorts thee fighting and crownes thee vanquishing fore-slow not therfore since he invites thee oppose him not since he expects thee stray no farther since he recalls thee but returne with speed that he may embrace thee Rest thou mayst with ioy being so protected labour in hope being so assisted fight with courage being so excited and vanquish with comfort being to be crowned We must passe through a wildernesse to Canaan this wildernesse is the wide world ô may my soule neuer murmur though hunger should annoy her thirst afflict her all perturbations enclose her yea let her rather say with Iob I beleeue that my Redeemer liueth and that with these eyes I shall see him happie eyes that are made contemplators of such exceeding glory ô may my eyes grow dim with weeping to be afterwards partakers of so glorious a vision I resolue now to bid farewell to the world before I leaue it that being in it I may not be of it there is no affinitie betweene the citizens of Mammon and Syon I will fall by a loathing of the one to an vnfained louing of the other that in contempt of this world I may make my account more free in the world to come I will make the worlds follie my chiefest policie soule-wise without desire of sole-wise or self-wise may humilitie henceforth conduct me for conceit of knowledge through an opinionate arrogance hath made me many times glory in my owne ignorance I had rather be imprisoned in the flesh then by the flesh for so I bee freed in minde I little care though I be imprisoned in body since restraint of the one enlargeth the Libertie of the other whether therefore at freedome or restrained I resolue so to liue that my conscience may be a Testimonie how I haue liued making in Prison better vse of my grace then the Curtezan of her Glasse for there will I note the blemishes of my soule while she the spots and moles in her face
ESSAIES VPON THE FIVE SENSES with a pithie one vpon DETRACTION Continued VVith sundry Christian Resolues full of passion and deuotion purposely composed for the zealously-disposed By RICH BRATHWAYT Esquire Mallem me esse quà m viuere mortuum LONDON Printed by E G for Richard Whittaker and are to be sold at his shop at the Kings head in Paules Church-yard 1620. TO THE RIGHT EMINENT FAVOVRER and furtherer of all noble and free-borne studies Sr HENRY YELUERTON Atturney Generall accomplished happinesse SIR I Haue long sought the expressioÌ„ of my thoughts which haue euer with all sinceritie tendred them yours but how infirme is conceit without further demonstration Loue is a deepe effect of the soule which vndiscouer'd struggles yea strangles herselfe till shee be deliuer'd I haue many times purposed to offer some vowes next to him whose diurnall prouidence if nought else should induce and his Maiestie whose Halcyon-raigne makes vs happy vnto your Selfe to giue argument of my loue the exquisite Idea of humane life and now haue I seconded what I intended though not in that perfection as my intirest wishes aymed It is a great defect and I haue noted it not in will but worke nor in purpose but power to see so many extended desires limit their issue to leane effects which fareth vsually to best-affected dispositions where affectionatest thoughts are buried in silence for want of a tongue to discouer them I will say nothing for much speech rather argues affectation than intimacie of affection here be certaine Essaies or Obseruations or what you will dilating vpon the fiue Senses whereto as to their proper Obiects and Subiects they are limited where you shall finde as questionlesse you haue found in your selfe the eares choicest harmonie to be Gods glory the eyes cleerest vision his contemplation the noses sweetest posie the odours of his mercy the tastes delightfull'st fullnes meditation of his goodnesse the Touches mouingst action the feeling of his Passion Many subiects I confesse excellently composed whose Title deriues their essence from Essaies but few restrained to these Obiects which the devout Father termes those windowes which open to all vnbounded libertie organs of weale or woe happy if rightly tempered sinister if without limit For in what erre wee and take not the occasion as primitiue source from one of these The fable of the Syrens had allusion to the eare of Ixion to the eye of Atalanta to the taste of Mirrha to the smell of Semele to the touch where the eare not temperately restrained was soone inchanted the eye lightly affected was to misery exposed the taste for want of due relishing foyled her that was vanquishing the smell too rankly breathing brought it selfe to perishing the touch too highly aspiring through her ambition fell to ruine These were excellent types and not vnbeseeming the purest and piercingst eye now it rests that I draw in my sailes least my gate be too great for my worke onely thus much I may confidently say If my Presumption err my thoughts replie It is my loue that errs it is not I. may I euer so direct my subiect as to render you content whose deseruing parts make me honour you more then that title of honour which is conferred on you vowing to rest Yours in duest obseruance Rich Brathwaite An aduertisement to the devout Reader vpon the vse of the fiue SENSES LEnd here thine eare of zealous attenâ—ion fixe here thine eye of inward contemplation that following the sauour of thy Sauiours oyntments and tasting how sweet he is in goodnes thou may vnfainedly be touched with remorse of conscience Farewell THESES OR Generall rules drawne by Art from the line of Nature tried by the touchstone of infallible experience and applied as obseruances to these present times hauing reference to the fiue Sences proper subiects to which they are restrained Of Seeing 1. ESSAY THough the eye of my bodie allude to the eye of my soule yet is the eye of my soule darkned by the eye of my bodie where sence inclines to concupiscence affection to affectation and that part the curious modell of the eye which ought of it selfe to be a directrice to all other Sences becomes the principall organ of error to the affections there is a motiue of thankfulnes in the eye of man more than in the eye of any other creature a muscle which lifteth the eye vpward whereas others be more depressed bending downeward Why should man then fix the eye of his delight on the creature hauing his eye made to looke vp to his Creator The eye of our bodie is like the orbe of the world it moueth in the head as the Sunne in the firmament take away the Sunne and there is darknes by the depriuation of the eye there ensueth blindnes Conceits by nature ripest are euer wandringst and the eye of all parts most eminent is to obiects of all kindes most extended though I gaze till mine eye be dazled yet is the desire of mine eye neuer satisfied as the eye of all other Sences is most needfull so of all others it is most hurtfull it findes an obiect of affection pretending Loue when her ayme is cleane contrary peruerted by lust there is no passage more easie for the entry of vice than by the cranie of the eye there shee hath first acceptance facilest entrance and assuredst continuance She hath first acceptance because by the eye first entertained facilest entrance because of all others easiest to be induced and assuredst continuance because once perswaded not to be by any motiue afterwards restrained There is nothing so litle that hath such diuersitie of operations attending it being moued by the obiect that it lookes vpon to loue or hate Passions of the minde receiue their greatest impression by the eye of the bodie and soonest are they allayed when the eye is most temperate If the eye chance to be restrained and want an obiect outwardly it makes it self a mirror represented inwardly and sometimes Narcissus-like doates for want of a substance on an imaginarie shadow it is iealous and that is the cause it is euer prying into others secrets He is a wise man that carries his eyes in his head making them his Sentinels but he is foolish that sends them out like spies to betray his soule to the obiects of vanitie I haue heard some wish that some space before their death they might be depriued of their sight inferring that the motions of the Soule were aptest for inward contemplation when the eye of the bodie was least conuersant in outward delectations It is true but why should the principallst motiue and organ of thanks-giuing be an occasion to the minde of erring I haue eyes to direct me by obiects outwardly mouing to the affections of the soule inwardly working It is against reason that the greater light should be extinguished by the lesser the eye of the soule by the eye of the bodie A candle burnes the darkest when the Sun beames shut out the brightest so
of so different a warpe that great Flies might easily breake out while litle ones suffered strange vnctions able to cast Iustice on an Euphuus slumber motions made to moue commotions twixt party and party Here was no employment for my Sence desiring rather a direction in her way to eternitie than to haue partiall-guilt corruption her best Solicitor in this vale of misery Whilest I was thus roving seeking for a Pylot to giue free and safe waftage to my vnharbored Sence at last after many tempestuous occurrences my afflicted mindes perturbations I fixt anchor and by the direction of Reason got what I sought for a quiet harbour And where may I limit or how confine the straying circle of many perplexed and confused thoughts wherewith I am surprized within so blest a period Not by the appetite for that slaues the best of man to vnworthiest ends nor by the obedience of my owne proper will for that I found perverted by ayming at indirect obiects nor by ambition which alwaies as Pindarus defined her was accompanied with danger in assaying impatience in prosecuting and an opposition of expectance in atchieuing nor by the Vsurers Calender for there is Auarice that decrepit infirmitie of old age haling many a poore-prodigall Wittall cursing and an inward corasiue worse than any outward affliction tormenting Nor by the Courtiers fawning where times be obserued fashions imitated good-cloths admired and the onely-generous qualitie is to be phantasticall-idle Nor by the country-Farmers engrossing where many a poore Orphans teare accusing many a desolate widowes complaint contesting and the hunger staru'd soule witnessing make him of all others most wretched in that his Nabal-securitie makes him obdurate These are not guides to lead my directing Sence to her harbour she is not for earth her Musicke is mixt with too many discords The worlds harmonie to a good Christian eare may be compared to that of Archabius the trumpeter who had more giuen him to cease than to sound so harsh is the sound of this world in the eare of a diuinely-affected soule A good eare will not say as the powerfull auditor or incorrigible sinner saith to his Preacher Speake to vs pleasing things speake to vs pleasing things for these must haue Orphuus melodie whom the Cyconian women tore in peeces because with his musicke he corrupted and effeminated their men These are not like those Deuils whereof Guydo reporteth that cannot abide Musicke these are contrary Deuils for they delight in nothing but the musicke of Flatterie These obiects are not made to harbour me my pitch is higher my thoughts more vnbounded my eare more arrected and the consideration of mine owne imbecillitie more apparent it is heauen she aymes at the Angels with which shee would consort and that melodie of the superior powers which yeeldeth to her eare the absolutest concord shee shall sound forth therefore tuning her voyce by her eare the vnworthinesse of earths affections compared to that excellencie of reall delights planted aboue First shall be that delight which depriued the first Angell of his eternall delight to wit Pride whereby we become like Cinnamon-tree whose rinde is better than all the bodie Hence is it we desire to reforme the workmanship of God becomming polishers of nature garnishers of corruption and proud of our shame And how should we thinke that God will respect vs who haue disfigured his owne similitude and so disguised our selues as he can hardly know vs There is no workman that regardeth or esteemeth his owne workmanship after it is translated and transposed by others and wee becomming creatures of our owne making shadowing natiue modestie with a dissembling blush seeme to translate that amiable forme and proportion which was giuen vs by our Creator to an vgly and promiscuous habit extracted like Flaccus crow from the phantasticke invention of all countries The ancient law obserued that such as had a yellow locke vpon their leprous parts were not to consort with other people though we want that yellow locke the apparent token of leprosie yet we haue a yellow band and other running sores of vanitie Far be this vice from the mansion of my soule lest her speedy surprisall depriue me of all and euer may the consideration of my owne weaknesse restraine me from the least conceit of aspiring arrogance Next of pleasure shall be sensuall delights the vaine obeying of our owne affections the soules bane the bodies vlcer and the Deuils watch bell We are rocked asleepe and sit dandled on the knee of an impudent strumpet as Babels subversion proceeded from the height of her sinne so this linke of impietie by which death and ruine is haled along to vs promiseth subuersion to the possessor the best reward her serpentine embraces adulterate affections and obsequious delights can propose to her attendants Shall my eare be intangled with her soules staine or prostitute her attention to so odious a subiect shall my Sence of Direction tend to my subversion or the bodies instructresse like a blinde guide throw her headlong to confusion No I will not engage so excellent an hostage as my soule for the bitter-sweet of a repenting pleasure Reason tells me that pleasure merits onely that title when it is relished with vertue nor can sensualitie satiate the delight of the intellectuall part when it is confined to immerited respects This I will make my position in the bent of my resolution I meane onely so far to obey my delights as the after-hope of my soule may not be abridged the future ioy in the expectance of soueraigne happinesse impayred but that my Sence to reason subiected may in the sweet concord of an inward contemplation drawne from her creator apprehend an exceeding pleasure to haue done any thing pleasing to her maker Can I finde in rich coffers the misers idols any true obiect to plant this excellent organ ô no the corruption of coine is the generation of an vsurer or a lowsie begger For the first I loue my soule too wel for so meane base a traffick to hazard a gem so incomparable heau'n is the Tabernacle I desire to dwell in but so far is that Mansion from the conceit of our English Iew or oppressing Vsurer as he chuseth rather to liue in the tents of Kedar with the depraued issue of Dathan than by hauing Lazarus scrip to be carried after to Abrahams bosome Rightly was his experience grounded who said that the multitude of Physicians and Lawyers are the signes of a distempered state but the number of Vsurers and their factors is the argument of a fatall disease raigning For the second to wit Beggery I know not what to thinke on 't It is a beneficiall trade where impudence marshals it but a shamefast beggar saith Homer neuer yet could liue on his profession I could wish a more temperate harbour neither too rich lest the fulnes of my estate make me insolent nor too poore lest the consideration of my want force me to some course exorbitant
affect that which confers to the soulea distaste of all tastes inherent in all subiects none lesse distinguishing than the hungry-mans taste which may appeare in those miserable famines of Samaria and Ierusalem ratts mice weasels and scorpions were no common mens iunkets where motherly loue renounced her name and became the ruine of that shee should cherish as the Matron Myriam who constrained for her liues supportance though shee had but one sonne killed and rosted him Hence comes it that necessitie hath no law nor hunger needs no sawce Let my Taste be directed by reason and not by sence Reason may enlighten her and make her distinguish of desires but Sence perplexeth her and subiects the better part to a slauish appetite Many haue exceeded in the vse of this Sence but few restrained their desires with moderation More Cleopatra's than Cornelia's more Vitellij than Vticae more Sileni than Salustij ancient and moderne replenish vs with stories of this nature where violent ends euer attended the immoderation of Princes but healthfull liues and ioyfull periods summ'd vp the dayes of the temperate The Venetians giue vs instance of these in themselues amongst which there appeares one more memorable Domenico Syluio his Duchesse was so delicate a woman as she would haue dew gathered to make her Baine withall with many other curious perfumes and tricks yet before her death her flesh did rot so as no creature could come neere her May my Taste be seasoned with no such delicacie let my affection rather disclaime herselfe than vndo my soule by intemperate subiects I will not care so much to taste what I loue as what I hate for I know my selfe more subiect to surfet in the one than in the other I haue tasted most of inferior delights yet in a generall suruey of all my pleasures I cannot chuse but weepe to remember how those delights which I affected produce no other fruit but Repentance The taste of vice to a mortified affection is like sweet meats to him that is in an ague shee is distastfull and becomes more odious in that shee cloaths delight with an habit of wantonnesse I will chuse with holy Hierome to build me a cell in the desart to liue out of the heat of concupiscence rather than by liuing in the eye of the world enthral my reasonable part to the appetite of Sence Taste ingenders delight I will not taste euery thing I like lest late repentance force me to distaste that which I liked I will fore-see the end ere I approue of the means that grounding on a golden meane I may attaine a glorious end No tempting delight shall feede my appetite for as preuention is the life of policie so temptation if consented to is the passage to miserie Fowles of the ayre though neuer so empty-stomackt flie not for foode into open pit-falls Quae nimis apparent retia vitat avis My soule shall imitate the bird that she may escape like the bird out of the hand of the Fowler How happy were I if I would taste nothing but what ministers content to the minde sustayning nature but not oppressing her feeding but not pampering her cheering but not cramming her I haue tasted many liquors yet none like the brinie current of mine eyes teares are best extinguishers of sin preparatiues to remorce motiues to true contrition precious Elixir may thou euer be my drinke in the time of my pilgrimage and quench my thirst of sin with a desire of an heauenly inheritance As the Nurse layeth wormwood or aloes on her pap to waine her childe from sucking so will I sprinkle some bitter thing vpon such things as I affect that my delight may be restrained How full of comfort am I when my taste is directed to a right end and how directed when it is besotted with vanities How far better were it to liue temperate taste all things as indifferent and conclude our dayes in quiet than to haue Diues doom Nabals doale or Balthazar 's fall how far better were it to liue like the Hermit in the desert then like the sensuall Libertine in the world so dissolute what is it to feed lusciously fare daintely tast all things with full satiety when our fare shal be reduced to famine our luscious feeding to Soule-staruing and our Satiety here on earth to our penury for euer in hell it is better to distribute to those that craue vse temperance in what we haue make our posteritie true heyres of what we leaue than to cry in midst of an eternall flame for one small drop to quench our thirst and not be heard for one crum and not be satisfied for one minutes ease and not released Taste may my soule no such dainties as may starue her delighted be my soule but with no such vanities as may corrupt her reioyce may my soule but in no other subiect no other obiect yea her only maker Soe in the tast of this life shall I remember my yeres with bitternesse of heart that my life which is reckned not by yeres but Howres not how many but how good may be as the Tast of sweete smelling odors in the nose-thrills of her Sauiour there is no odour like it no perfume to be compared to it it is a saving sauour a pretious odour and the Saints honour Happy Sence that is thus saincted comfortable taste that is thus renewed and blessed soule that is thus invited Taste and see how sweet the Lord is sweet in his mercies sweet in his promises and sweet in his performance And such is the spirituall sweetnes which euery devout soule conceiueth in the contemplation of eternitie whose ioy is not in the tents of Kedar but in the bowels of her Sauiour not with the inhabitants of Moloc but the glorious seed of Isaac these haue their taste in the greene and flourishing pastures of Gods word distasting the slesh-pots of Aegypt and relishing onely the manna of heauenly Canaan Pleasures which are earthly they neither long for in expecting nor loue when enioying They haue found obstruction in the Sences corporall but free passage in the Sences spirituall They compare worldly-tasting men to those wilde asses which snift the winde their desires extend onely to be thought good dis-esteeming the excellencie of reall goodnesse which maketh man truly happy They obserue foure sorts of men in the world discouered by the eye of wisdome Some are wise but seeme not so some seeme so but are not so some neither are nor seeme some both are and seeme the last these onely partake for as their essence concurrs with their appearance so scorne they to expresse more in semblance than they are in essence if there were no God yet these men would be good and for sin though they wist to vse Seneca's words that neither God nor man knew it yet would they hate it O my taste be thus seasoned my palate thus relished my affections thus marshalled my whole pilgrim-course thus managed that my Taste may
for my part the knowledge of mine owne imperfections inioynes me silence considering how far I am short of that I should be how exceeding in that which is not required of me I haue resolued therefore by the scale of humilitie to ascend to the throne of glory making the acknowledgment of my defects my directest path for the attayning of perfection As the completest follie appeares in too much complement so the best of wisdome is to be least popularly wise where opinion makes vs proud whil'st priuacie in knowledge makes vs onely knowne to our selues and no otherwise I haue found oft-times the excellentest parts shrowded in the meanest and vnhansomest couers which I can instance in nothing better than in the diuine essence of the soule couered with the garment of flesh Honour is a faire baite but a sincere disposition will not assume it before shee deserue it The best of honour is to acknowledge our selues vnworthy of Him to whom is ascribed all honour nor can we better expresse our worth than by confessing our own shame Purposes and Resolues may be compared to Pauls planting and Apollo's watering but their disposes to the blessing of God I haue resolued in reflexion to my houre-glasse considering times preciousnes with his swiftnes to vie teares with her graines of sand that my teares might in some measure wash away the heap of those sins which are multiplyed like the sands Earth as a globe in the ayre the soule as a Diamond in lead reason as a queene in her throne in the first we moue and are moued in the second we shine yet is our splendor by our bodies couer obscured by the last we are distinguished from beasts yet by her abuse we become worse than beasts If Caesar saith Machauell had beene ouerthrowne he would haue beene more odious then euer was Catiline so strangely doth th' euent make indirectest actions glorious but successe doth not euer argue a direct cause for the morning-flourish of the wicked shuts vp their Euening in a sullen discontent I will therefore so direct the meane that I may attaine the end that an equall relation of one to the other may produce a necessary successe in both I haue wondred why the Thracian being a Pagan should lament his birth like a Christian when we that are Christians laugh at our birth but pule at our death like Pagans As wee enter the world with a shrike so we leaue it with a sigh the first implyes what place of miserie wee are entring the other shewes with what griefe we leaue the world in our departing I haue considered with what tranquillity and peace of conscience a soule sequestred from the world taketh her farewell of earth she finds no obiects to distract her shee sees no friends that can with-drawe her from her approaching dissolution all seeme as in a calme sea whilest a soule plunged in worldly cares grieues to leaue what shee did so exceedingly loue O may my soule so contemne the world as she may addresse her selfe for a future world so extend her hopes aboue earth as she may raigne with her Sauiour after Earth As the vale best discouereth the hil so a humble outside best displaieth a glorious soule Vanity becommeth not a wise-man much-lesse him that should be only wise to saluation I had neuer the fate to admire titles nor hope to rise by fauning on greatnesse Heauen grant I may so follow him that is onely great that the choyce of his attendance may purchase mee a place of perpetuall residence Age cannot alter habite nor aër condition I doe wish my age may be so well tempered that I may get that habite of vertue which cannot be depraued those internally-beautifying qualities of the minde which may not be corrupted That is the choycest pleasure which hath onely relation to vertue others may haue appearance but no essence for bitter is the fruite of that pleasure which is attended on by Repentance There is no Bulwarke so impregnable as a spotlesse soule for shee can oppose all hostilitie inward where the other is onely for outward as there is a continuall feast to him that enioyeth her so there is securitie to him that is attended by her Length of daies is not in this vale of teares for few be they and full of misery but in the Tabernacle of Syon there is length of time without transition and accomplished yeares without conclusion I haue collected that there is a Reward for the good as reuenge for the wicked after this life because the Sunne shineth aswell on the wicked as the good in this life I haue resolued therefore that as the temporary Sunne cheeres mee with his heate so to dispose of my Actions that by his operation which workes in mee I may bee exalted by the Sunne of righteousnesse being made pertaker of his glory When I behold the Dew fall on the grasse by which it is nourished I presently recollect how happy that soule is which is watered by the Dew of Gods grace by which it is onely renewed and in her affliction comforted It is strange that Man in his trauaile should so often measure his graue yet be forgetfull of his end seuen foote is his dimension yet man liueth in that securitie as if that small scantling had a perpetuall extension Making ech day an abstract of my life I finde by bitter experience yet hopefull repentance that I haue spent my morning in wantonnesse now my resolue is to redeme my morning idling with my mid-dayes labouring that I may receiue my penny in the euening As the Sun shines the brightest at his setting so should man at his departing it is the euening crownes the day happy Soule that shall be crowned when her Euening is approached Flatterie is not alwaies to praise in presence for incurre we may that name by praising in absence that is when either the vertue is absent or the occasion as for vertue shee can neither be ouer-prizd nor ouerpraisd I will hate therefore to insinuate where Vertue is not resident nor can he be a Parasite that is her attendant I finde seuerall perturbations to which I am exposed diuers infirmities to which naturally I am subiected I would not follow the indiscretion of Empyricks which minister the same medicines to all Patients as my griefes be sundry proceeding from diuers meanes so must my receits be sundry if I meane to cure the effects I will vse therefore corrasiues to eat away the hard and dead skin of impenitence Lenitiues to renew and cherish my tender skin lest I fall to despaire through too much weaknes I am almost of Copernicus opinion who in his Theorie supposed that the Earth did moue it moues man indeed to moue vnlike himselfe becomming in his motion forgetfull of his first Mouer I resolue therefore as many lines tend to one Centre so to ayme all my soules motions to the glory of my maker that earths motion may by no meanes draw me from him who first